I don't own NGNL, just Tatsuya.

Chapter 11: Come what may

I still can hardly believe that I've been away from Sora and Shiro for this long, almost four months now. I know it may have been for what they did but I never thought that I would be able to keep myself away for so long. Had it not been for the last interaction I had with Sora and Shiro, mostly Sora, I likely would have stopped off in Elkia before going to each new country. But I had committed to my role of trying to teach them a lesson about others and their feelings when used as pawns.

So here I am, nearly 6 months since arriving in this world. My hair had grown significantly, so I had to tie it back in a short ponytail. I've never grown it out before so it seemed like it'd be fun to try. All the countries we visited fed us a lot of different exotic foods so I picked up my new workout routine, I must say Stephani seems to like it. Stephani also let her hair grow out a bit, it was just passed her shoulders resting on her back.

I've been here for so long that sometimes I'd forget that I even came from another world entirely. I still wonder if Tet held up his end and figured out a way to let my family know that I was alright.

I had hoped that Jibril would have done as I asked. She was a curious one from what I remembered, I thought that she would figure out a way to provoke Sora to learn. Something that I failed to do. I'd always known Sora was stubborn about his way of thinking, I'm likely guilty of the very same but I still wanted to help him. Maybe I was going about this all wrong, but I tried to do what I thought would be right, by him and by Shiro. I might not be their parents but I always thought that I had a responsibility to them. Had I gone too far this time, would they even respond the way I hoped or was I as foolish as them to think that everything would go as I'd hoped? In all likelihood, they wouldn't need me at all after this. I'm not sure I'll be able to handle that.

-In a ship on the ocean-

It's been more than a week since I sent that letters to Sora and Jibril. I'd soon find out whether I was successful or failed horribly. I had a hard time breathing, it was as if I had someone strangling me but with just enough give to allow me small breathes.

"Ste- I mean Sweety…" I spoke up after a long silence, looking out over the side of the ship.

I was still not used to using the affectionate pet names that we try to call each other.

She turned around leaning against the railing of the ship. "Hmm?"

"Sora and Shiro, do you think they'll be mad at me?" I was slumped against the railing as the shipped bobbed, I'd never been seasick before but this voyage felt extra long, I don't know if it was my nerves or that I was finally going back to Elkia and that I was feeling homesick.

"…" She didn't answer for a bit, I was sure it was because she knew they would.

"Darling, I think you give them too little credit. Sure the two of them are incompetent when it comes to everyone else but they hold you in the utmost regard." She told me this but that wasn't exactly unknown to me. At the very least it was reassuring to hear those words from her.

"I really hope you're right." I slowly rose to my feet and proceeded to try and distract myself for the remainder of the journey. "Say Steph, can you teach me how to dance?" This was something that I thought would be a good idea since we had done so much almost without stopping, and now we had a moment to ourselves where there was no plan or schedule to keep.

"Dance?" I could hear the confusion in her voice as it had never even been spoken of between us before.

I met her eyes and nodded my head to confirm that she heard me right. "I've seen several dances since coming here and traveling around to all the other nations. It got me thinking, why can't I try and join in on the fun?"

I saw her return to her normal expression as she processed my words. I extended my arm, hand open and she took it with a smile. "I'm not very good and grandfather only ever taught me the formal dance."

I clutched her soft hand. "Perfect. Then I should probably tell you that I have two left feet." I jested, sort of.

It would be several hours before we made port on the shores of the continent, and even longer still in a carriage ride to the capital of Elkia.

When Steph told me that we were back in Elkia my breathing issue returned and I was getting a cold sweat. I wasn't sick, so I was just so nervous that I was showing physical signs. I had to try and do meditative breathing exercises before we got to the city.

As I watched the rolling hills and farms of the countryside pass by the window of the carriage and something popped up in my mind. "I hope she's not too mad, 'bout me missing it," I spoke aloud rhetorically.

Steph probably wasn't expecting me to say anything so she asked anyway, "What are you talking about Darling?"

I shook my head a bit still staring out the window, "Shiro's birthday. It was just about a week ago. I've never missed her birthday since she was brought into Sora's family."

I guess it never came up while she was working close to them but my words confused her. "Wait, what do you mean by she was brought in? I thought the two of them are brother and sister but that makes it sound like they aren't."

I lifted my head from resting on my hand. "Hmm? I thought they might have told you."

She shook her head profusely. "They only ever spoke to me about you, or they'd insult my intelligence, but not once did they ever talk about themselves."

I sighed and hesitated before deciding I should tell her, "How should I say this?" I hadn't ever explained this to anyone before since they stayed locked away in their room for so long. I couldn't even think of a time when someone would ask about them besides their parents. It took a moment but I told her.

"The two of them are siblings, legally, but not biologically Sora's parents were or are rather wealthy and when they found out about a prodigy like Shiro was up for adoption they jumped on the opportunity. They adopted Shiro making the two of them siblings. That is when I first met Shiro. When she was 5 and I was 11 when all that happened."

Stephani was processing the information.

"It's complicated, I know. Don't worry too much about it, they don't."

She seemed to agree with that remark and added, "Is that why you asked the dwarves to make something as a present?"

I pulled a small box out of my coat pocket. "Yeah, this is her birthday present."

"What's in it." She wasn't paying attention to the conversation when I asked for the present to be made, I think it had to do with the huge mine we were standing in and how high it went up. But either way, I intended it to be a surprise anyway so it worked out nicely for me.

-The Capital City-

When we arrived at the city I could quickly tell that something was amiss. Seemingly nothing had changed for the people here. There were no new shops and nothing that I would quantify as new. It wasn't until we passed through the noble circle. Something had changed there. The district didn't feel as cold as I remembered it to be. It was then that we heard something land on top of the carriage.

"Well well," I heard the voice before Jibril poked her head through the roof of the carriage, "So you weren't full of bluster after all."

"Jibril, what do you mean?" I had some idea but knowing her it was meant to be some jab at me.

She gave a cheeky smile since she was upside down it looked like she was frowning, of course, she wasn't but the thought was humorous to me. "You were quite right about Master, he needed a little push and he started to think of new things, but I don't think that it went exactly as you hoped. He hasn't left the castle in days."

"What?" I exclaimed. "Why is he holding up in there?"

She shrugs.

"Damn it all! Take me to him now. I'm gonna have to strong arm him myself." I was extremely annoyed to hear this.

-The Castle-

I stormed through the castle and swung the doors to the grand hall open. "Sora! Where are you!" He wasn't there, no one was actually. "Where is he?" I continued on through the castle, heading straight to Sora's room. Once I arrived at the room I kicked in the door.

"Sora!"

Sora, who was looking through a book, turned around shocked. "Tatsuya? Wha-what are you doing here? Geez, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

I stomped over and grabbed him by the collar. "Don't give me that crap. I have been going around the other nations for months scouting and forging alliances. All to help you take over the other exceeds and here I find you hold up in your Tet damn room!"

Sora held up his hands to protect his face. "Tatsuya, wait, just calm down a moment."

"Explain Sora!" I released his collar.

He fixed his collar. "First, I wanted to apologize for what Shiro and I did to you. We didn't mean to upset you like that. We wanted to show our faith in you, but because we didn't let you know, it was too late and it hurt you." Sora got out of his bed, surprisingly enough Shiro was not with him. In fact, I haven't seen her at all yet, I figured she'd have "heard" I was back and would have met me.

I couldn't help but sigh, Sora always was exhausting to talk to, "Sora, I'm not sure what lead you to do it, but I hope you learned your lesson. For all our sakes. Now explain why you haven't tried to take on the Sirens or Warbeasts!" I demanded an explanation.

Sora smiled and walked over to the window, the sun was getting ready to set. "It's quite simple really Tatsu, we were waiting," Sora said in a confident tone.

"Waiting? Waiting for what exactly?" I humored his tone.

"What else? You. We've been waiting for you to come back." He turned to me with his patented evil eye.

"And why were you waiting for me?" I held distrust in my voice as I crossed my arms skeptical of him.

"I told you before, we were going to take over this place and that you were crucial for my plans to do so. With our calculations having you with us would make our victory much easier." He seemed confident, but something was still bugging me to no end.

"Sora…" I spoke sternly much like I used to when Sora would peek on the maids.

He blinked as if to say, "What?"

"Where is Shiro?"

And just like that, I saw a crack in his confidence. "Why do you ask? She's probably in the library again, reading or something..." Something seemed wrong.

"Sora… Where is she?" I pressed the issue and got closer to him staring into his eyes, I could see the cold sweat forming on his brow. For a brief instant, he looked in the direction of the closet all the hint I needed to figure it out. Sora never was good when it came to lying to me, I knew all his ticks after all.

I slowly walked to the closet opening it quickly to find Shiro. She apparently was pressed up against the door so once I opened the door she ended up falling down, she had been listening in it seemed. But why was she in there to begin with? There must have been a reason for her to be there like that. Luckily for her, I managed to catch her before she hit the floor. "Shiro? What were you doing in- Ah, Shiro."

I found myself being hugged tightly by a nearly crying Shiro. She was clearly holding in her feelings while listening. "Tatsu-Nii!" I couldn't tell if she was angry, happy or what, "I'm sorry! We did that! SO sorry! I'll never do that again, so don't leave again! PLEASE!"

There were many replies that I had prepared and practiced to say to them when I came back, but in that instant, all that just fell apart as I held little Shiro in my arms. I hugged her tight. "As you command, My Queen." I stood up still holding her in my arms. She was still shaking a bit, "I suppose there is still the matter of this," I reached into my pocket and pulled out the little box with a bow on it, "this may be a bit late but I didn't forget. Happy 12th Birthday Shiro."

I placed the box in her hand and put her down on the bed. "A present for me? Can I open it?"

As if she needed to ask, "Of course, it is for you after all." I gave her a big smile, but then I saw her face change a bit as if something was on her mind.

I stared for a moment when she pointed at Sora and said, "Nii lied." She confessed

"Shiro, don't-" Sora tried to stop her but I glared at him causing him to freeze.

Turning back to Shiro I looked her in the eyes, gave her a little pat on the head and asked, "Go ahead, Shiro. What did Sora lie about, little one?"

She nods wiping her eyes, "We weren't waiting for you like he said, we lost the desire to play against Tet again without you around. We only pieced together that you were coming back a few days ago. Then Nii wanted to look all cool in front of you, so he asked me to play along. I didn't want to lie to you again." Shiro very passionately spilled the beans about what actually happened.

I cracked a smile, then slowly proceeded to laugh, at first softly then almost hysterically. "You two are really something else." I somehow regained my composure after a few minutes and then while I was catching my breath I said, "You know since we're being honest I wanted to come back right away, I regretted all of what I said. I feared that I said too much and that you wouldn't forgive me."

I bowed my head, "I'm truly sorry, what I did must have hurt you both. I know you two the best and should have had better patience with your antics. I do, however, stand by the lesson I was attempting to teach you both." I raise my head to the siblings.

Shiro was standing on the bed now so she could be taller, and tried to pat me on the head. I then bent my knees a bit to make it easier for her. "We were actually waiting for you but not like Nii said. We were hoping you'd come back so we could be a family again."

I hesitated to respond. "Even after all that?"

"If that's all it took to break up family that what good is family? We need to keep your thoughts and feelings in mind, always." She smiled.

Sometimes I was still surprised how adult Shiro can be about these things. Though she can still be a bit forgetful from time to time. "Aren't you going to open your present, Shiro?" I brought up her present.

She blinked repeatedly, remembering that I did in fact just hand her a gift, her red and gold eyes giving off a childish sheen. "Oh yeah!" She exclaimed as she proceeded to untie the bow and open the box. Inside the box was a bright red ruby necklace and gold bracelets.

She gazed at them with wide glistening eyes. "I figured they'd go with your eyes." I had them made when I was with the dwarves, luckily even here the minerals were basically the same. I even got them for free with the promise that they would be worn by royalty and basically be free advertising for the dwarves craftsmen. I assured them that it would be worth it. "I got them a little big but you'll grow into them I'm sure." I was glad I was able to give them to her. But then…

"Tatsu-Nii!" She tackled me and said something that I've never heard her say before not even to Sora. "I love you Tatsu-Nii. I love you."

Both Sora and I were in shock, Shiro didn't usually or rather ever say things like that. She always implied it by her tolerance of a person aka Sora and I. I wasn't sure what to do so I just returned the hug and said, "I love you too." I paused and turned to face Sora, "Both of you. That's what family does."

We're family after all. "And come what may, nothing is going to change that."

It was at this moment that I realized that something was missing. Rather someone was missing. I had no idea where Stephani was at this point, when I stormed in I assumed she'd be right behind me. Turned out that I lost her along the way here.

I got up still carrying Shiro, "Where's Steph? I figured she'd be with you." Sora asked clearly realizing the same thing I just did.

"I was just thinking the same thing." I propped up Shiro into a more comfortable spot on my hip. "Let's go find her."

Sora followed Shiro and me as we went on the search for Stephani. I racked my brain to think of where she would have gone. First, we tried the kitchen, my thought was that she wanted to get some food from her home. When we arrived she wasn't there.

We tried the bathhouse as she might have wanted to relax a bit after a long journey. We, no I, had Shiro go in so as to stop Sora from trying to peep on Steph if she was there.

Shortly Shiro returned shaking her head. "Not here." She said simply.

"Where could she be?" I asked aloud.

Sora lets out a loud groan, tired of walking. "Not to point out the obvious, but you guys have been gone for months. If I were gone for months, I know where I'd go… Bed."

It clicked to me just then. I hit my own forehead. "Shiro…"

"Hmm?" She acted all innocent staring up at me.

I laughed a little, "It looks like I really am a dummy."

"I know, but I don't care." That stung a bit but I sort of walked into it.

As we walked through the castle Jibril came around. "Masters I'm bored, your little human friend is back, so when are we going to attack another country like you claimed in your speech?"

Sora turned around walking backward to face Jibril. "Soon Jibril, for now, could you let the maids know it's their turn to use the baths?"

Sora instructed to which she happily nodded and flew on by us. "Yes master, I'll clean them myself." She giggled as she went off through a wall.

"Sora... you tell the staff when they can bathe?" I didn't recall that being in place before I left.

He turned back to face Shiro and I. "Yeah, I started this as a safe time rule. When I tell them to it means I'm busy and won't have time to 'bother' them." His tone sounded almost noble.

"So you set up a system to stop yourself from peeping on them. I'm impressed... Or I would be if I didn't know you better. You have Jibril make you invisible don't you?"

Sora tripped over himself. "What? Come on. Have you no faith in me?"

"No." There hadn't even been a pause in between our dialogue. "You're a pervert after all."

Those words must have struck him or something because he seemed hurt by it. Sora did manage to keep himself from falling down and followed up with, "So you and Steph must have gotten close with the 'love curse' lifted off her. She did stay with you after all. So how about it? Did you guys, you know?"

"No." I respond just as quickly as last time.

This time Sora did fall to the ground. "What four months and nothing? I'm disappointed."

"Sora"

"Nii."

I had stopped and turned so that Shiro and I were facing Sora.

"Pervert." We spoke in unison. which almost entirely ended that conversation for the time being.

-Outside Steph's room-

We walked to Steph's room. The door was slightly open. Noticing this I held a finger to my lips to keep them quiet.

Peeking inside I tried to find Stephani, it didn't take long as she had indeed decided to go to bed. Though she didn't even bother getting under the bedding. "I'm not sure if I'm mad at myself for not thinking of this first or that Sora of all people thought of this first."

"Hey…"

I stared at him for a moment.

"Fair enough." He caved way too easily, maybe he really did change while I was gone.

I pushed open the door. "Sora, Shiro. Go ahead and head back to the kitchen or library. I'm going to stay here for a bit." I sent them back as I wanted to do something.

They nodded and headed back. They were surprisingly compliant to me right now. Maybe it was because we made up. It was a bit refreshing, to be honest.

I entered Steph's room quietly and carefully so as not to wake her. I sat on the edge beside her. 'She didn't even change or anything.' She was fully clothed and everything, so I took off her shoes and tucked her in the bedding. I pulled in close to her ear. "Sorry, for dragging you everywhere all this time." Before I pulled away I gave her a soft peck on the forehead. "And thank you for being with me all this time."

I then proceeded to walk out of the room to find Sora and Shiro were actually just outside the door so they could spy on us. "Tatsu-Nii, nice shot." Shiro held up a phone that had a picture of the kiss I gave Steph. Her thumb raised on her free hand to emphasize the "nice" of the image.

I couldn't help but sigh, "Something's never change."

"Would you prefer us any other way?" Shiro acted all innocent asking such a question. She knew just how to control me, not that I cared that much.

I then punched Sora in the arm. "Ow, what was that for?"

"That was since I can't hit Shiro." I followed up with, "No, I suppose I wouldn't have you two any other way. But I also wouldn't complain about a little privacy here and there."

The three of us smiled and laughed at each other, still just outside Steph's room.

I paused my laughter just a moment, "So Sora what your next move?"

Sora gave perhaps his evilest smile I'd seen since the time he freaked out Kurami to get into her head.

To be continued...

I had intended this chapter to be kind of a "season one finale." Don't worry I'm still continuing. Just that it's wrapping up a major hurdle for the characters of Sora, Shiro, and Tatsuya, and now I can really get things moving forward on where I intended for things to head. Sora and Shiro will now take into account the effects of the games they play and the consequences of them. Don't worry they will still be ruthless in dealing with opponents and everything but they just have the forethought of others that are affected.

I want to make this clear now as well, Shiro is not in a love triangle for Tatsuya (unless you count Sora lol), this was only meant to show that she is now fully committed to him being her family like Sora is. It is the love you give to family and nothing more. No incest. I would like to point out if it wasn't blanantly obvious but the presents are the same color are Shiro's eyes... according to the NGNL fan page. I nearly gave her a saphire as it's her birth stone but that would have been tooo easy... as if this wasn't any easier haha.

That said, I do apologize for the wait, I mentioned my school and that I was focused on that, but now that it's taken care of for now I'll be adding to this a bit more until the next round of finals come around.

I'm still trying to work out what sort of affectionate nickname that Tatsuya should call Stephani. I'm open to suggestions, of course, I'm trying to keep the character that I've created consistent, so please keep all suggestions appropriate. Thanks if you want to help

As always, please comment your thoughts, review, rant, correct, anything and everything is accepted. I'm doing this not only for me but for you guys as well. I welcome all forms of criticism and especially encourage the constructive type as I'm wanting to get better. Thank you all for reading and hope "Season 1" was to your liking.

Until next time,

Shi-oon Yi signing off